President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh and a high powered delegation left Banjul this morning for Dakar, Senegal, to attend the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Summit scheduled for Thursday, 13th to Friday 14th March, 2008.

President Jammeh was seen off at the Banjul International Airport by Dr Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy, the vice president and secretary of state for Women’s Affairs, the speaker of the National Assembly, Hon Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay, secretaries of state, security chiefs, members of the diplomatic corps, amongst others.

The 11th Summit of OIC will focus on the theme "Islam in the 21st Century", as the event is significant due to the current events and challenges facing the Muslim Ummah including the issue of Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Somalia, and Darfur. The issue of Islamophobia has high priority on the agenda whereupon the first report on Islamophobia by the OIC Islamophobia Observatory will be released. Also of priority is the Special Development Programme for Africa and raising intra-OIC trade among the Member States from 13% to 20% by 2015 in accordance with the OIC Ten-year Programme of Action.